A morning of change

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This morning's lecture was about change management. This is a challenging topic for Western students and I wasn't sure how it would go here, so I was a tiny bit apprehensive.

After another good Chinese breakfast including black rice soup (I know it doesn't sound great but it's not bad), we headed off for the 8.30 class.

When I entered the room, both yesterday and today, the students applauded wildly. Quite a change from the Western culture. I feel sure they only do that for visitors, but it's still a great way to start. Of course I applauded them back. Not sure if that's a culturally acceptable thing to do but it felt right to me.

My translator is a young teacher from the tourism school and she was quite nervous. I can imagine how challenging it must seem to try to get a grip on the powerpoint presentation without an understanding of what it really means, in another very strange language.

The lecture went pretty well, I think. The students seemed (!) to get most of the concepts about learning organizations. The translator had a hard time with the concept of organization, so we decided she could call it a company instead. Thanks to TC, the predator/prey example of a causal loop seemed to clarify the whole idea of systems thinking and balancing loops.

Again, the students were quite anxious to have their pictures taken with me, so we did a photo round. Even after I left the building with David and headed over to the cantine for lunch, students were stopping us on the street for photos. I know it is quite rare for a Westerner to be in these parts and especially in their school. It might be like we would feel if a friendly, smiling alient descended in the middle of Amsterdam. We would probably want our pictures with it, too!

I'm home after lunch (delicious cabbage that tasted a lot like turnips, a sort of beef stew, rice, bean sprouts with nice spicy slices of chili pepper) to rest until my next lecture at 14.00. This is a last-minute addition (there seem to be a lot of those . . .) and will be totally off-the-cuff.

After the lecture this afternoon, I am being taken out for dinner again. I'm glad I bought my running shoes in Shanghai because this place is huge and we walk everywhere. It's a new area just outside Qindao and to get anywhere is a bit of a hike. My foot is holding up fine, thank God!

Boy has this trip changed some of my mental models! Till later . . .

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Comments

[Corinne Levy]

ademloos
Zoals Rob al eerder heeft vermeldt, je bent een geweldige verslaggeefster, ademloos lees ik en bekijk ik de prachtige foto's . Je bent een genadeloos talent en de studenten boffen met jou, wat zal Dottie genieten van dit alles. Heel veel liefs en kom vooral terug!!!!!!! xxxxCorinne.

[Corinna]

Crazy Corinne!
I have no idea what you wrote (sorry but I still can't read Dutch). I saw your name and just wanted to say hello!